The Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands) of cantar is used to give direct orders or instructions related to singing, for example Canta una canción alegre. (Sing a happy song.)

Cantar is a regular -ar verb, so its Imperative conjugations follow the typical pattern for this verb type.

Conjugations

Conjugations of Cantar (to sing) in the Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands) tense (Latin American Spanish):

Cantar generally means “to sing”, but has several different meanings in the Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands), some of which might surprise you.

Literal meaning: To sing or perform a song vocally, for example, ¡Canta esa canción! (Sing that song!)

To reveal or disclose: To divulge sensitive information, often used colloquially, for example, ¡Canta todo lo que sabes! (Spill everything you know!)

To brag or boast: To speak excessively about one’s achievements or possessions, for example, ¡Canta cuánto dinero tienes! (Brag about how much money you have!)

To inform or report: To provide information, often used in informal contexts, for example, ¡Cántame qué pasó! (Tell me what happened!)

To criticize or complain: To express dissatisfaction or make negative comments, often used colloquially, for example, ¡Canta todo lo que quieras, pero no te quejes después! (Complain all you want, but don’t whine later!)

Examples

Examples of Cantar in the Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands)

¡Canta con nosotros! (Sing with us!)

Vamos a cantar juntos en el karaoke. (Let’s sing together at the karaoke.)

En el concierto, cantemos a todo pulmón. (At the concert, let’s sing at the top of our lungs.)

Chicos, canten con entusiasmo. (Kids, sing with enthusiasm.)

Para relajarnos, cantemos algunas canciones populares. (To relax, let’s sing some popular songs.)

En la fiesta, canta tu canción favorita. (At the party, sing your favorite song.)

Antes de empezar el show, canten un poco para calentar la voz. (Before starting the show, sing a bit to warm up your voice.)

¡Canta conmigo este coro pegajoso! (Sing this catchy chorus with me!)

Para celebrar, cantemos villancicos navideños. (To celebrate, let’s sing Christmas carols.)

Cuando estés triste, canta una canción alegre para animarte. (When you’re sad, sing a cheerful song to cheer yourself up.)

En el campamento, cantemos canciones junto a la fogata. (At the camp, let’s sing songs around the campfire.)

Para practicar el idioma, canten canciones en español. (To practice the language, sing songs in Spanish.)

Después del trabajo, canta en la ducha para relajarte. (After work, sing in the shower to relax.)

Conjugations with English Translations

Conjugations of Cantar (to sing) in the Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands) tense (Latin American Spanish) with English Translations:

This post covers Latin American Spanish. For Castilian Spanish, click here

Synonyms

The Imperative mood is also known as the Command Form, Affirmative Command Mood, or Direct Command Form in English, and as Modo Imperativo, Imperativo Afirmativo, Mandatos Afirmativos, or Forma de Mandato in Spanish.